Madison won 25-15, 27-25, 20-25, 25-16 to move its record to 10-5 (7-2 in the OCC). The Rams are two matches behind league-leading Wooster in the loss column.

"It's good preparation being in tight game situations," Lauber said.

Lexington falls to 10-4 (5-4).

"It's always tough to come into any game and not execute when you needed to execute. That's what we felt happened tonight," Lady Lex coach Danielle Basham said. "There were crucial times at certain moments where we just didn't do what we prepared to do."

Behind the serving of freshman call-up Morgan Peterson, the Rams staked themselves to an 8-1 lead and cruised to an easy first-game win.

Things would tighten from there.

Lexington led by four points midway through the second game, but again Peterson served the Rams back into it with a pair of aces to tie it at 17-17.

The game remained tied 25-25 when Madison took advantage of a bad Lexington dig and a pop set into a hole in the Lady Lex defense by Jackie Schwamberger to win the second game.

"They did a fantastic job," Lauber said of her crew. "We had nice senior leadership and (Peterson) came in setting.

"She has ice in her veins. It was just her second match."

Lexington rallied for a quick 8-1 lead and built it to 18-8. Madison came back as Kellie Orewiler served four straight aces to cut it to 22-20, but Lady Lex closed them out with hits from Cieleste Rose and Jane Gleaves.

The fourth game was just as close when Madison's Lauren Andolino took the ball with a 15-13 lead. A kill from Brittany Grove, an ace, a bad serve reception and a long hit by Lady Lex, and a scoring block by Cara Knapp built the Rams lead to 20-13.

From there, Madison took advantage of some crazy breaks off free balls and balls off the net to win it.

"It's hard, but you move on and you go to the next game. We've got to get Ashland," Basham said.

Ashland plays at Lexington, while Madison plays Mansfield Senior, both on Thursday.